Even with Fox's "Glee" and FX's "American Horror Story" under his belt, Ryan Murphy wasn't able to score another hit with his NBC comedy, "The New Normal."

Why didn't it find its audience? NBC's top executives seemed to grapple with the answer to that question themselves Saturday in a Television Critics Association press tour panel.

"We really wanted to get behind Ryan Murphy," NBC entertainment president Jennifer Salke said. "Maybe, something about the tone of it. It's really one of those things where you look at each other and think, 'Why didn't this show do better than it did?' It was the time for it. It was smart. It was original. It felt like it had breakthrough tone and originality to it. It got people talking and we thought it would build into something."

More Americans, and politicians on both sides of the aisle, are supporting gay marriage. But not enough people backed "The New Normal," about a gay couple who adopt a child.

When it premiered in September, the pilot episode banked 6.88 million total viewers. Its finale in April scored around half that number.

"I don't believe it didn't work because it had gay characters," NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt said. He pointed to the success of 90s series "Will & Grace."

"It was in a different time and in a different lineup of stronger shows and stronger lead-ins and things like that," he continued. "Like Jen said, we think the country is moving in the right direction, the Supreme Court is doing the right thing and there's a growing support for gay relationships and gay marriages in this country. It may have been slightly ahead of its time, because that really was the focus of it: The gay marriage and the baby. But, we feel no regret whatsoever about putting it out there, and feel enormously proud of it."

With Sean Hayes' new sitcom, "Sean Saves the World," premiering this fall, the network will again feature a gay parent, but take a different approach.

"We're drafting off a little bit on the 'Will & Grace' thing," Greenblatt said. "Its a brightly lit situation comedy. He's single, so maybe it will feel more universal to people who aren't gay and don't have people in their lives in gay relationships."

"That show is trying to be a family show in its essence," Salke interjected. "Ryan Murphy, in his shows, likes to push an idea in every episode, something he's grappling with and thinks people should be thinking about and is more issue-oriented in that way. And maybe that didn't help it. Still again, something we would stand by. But the DNA of the other show is completely different only based on in its creative origins, not in that we're guiding it in a way that is less gay or issue-oriented."

normal is a man and a woman married in their 20s with their own children, going to work, church or synagogue, mowing the yard, playing board games with the fam in the evenings. Period. Not all this depravity you at NBC are trying to pass off as normal

:: Ryan Murphy, in his shows, likes to push an idea in every episode ::

Confirming the observation of Cletus, “When a sit-com thinks it can influence the culture by becoming “socially relevant”, when it delves into experimental social engineering because of its position in the ratings, it ceases to be watchable.”

For the best example, please see the timeline and content of “The Cosby Show”.

"But, we feel no regret whatsoever about putting it out there, and feel enormously proud of it."

No regrets. Own it, baby. Hope you feel the same when it comes time to answer to a higher authority for the things you've done in this world. Jeepers...the industry is run by a bunch of snickering 15-year old boys.

10
posted on 07/29/2013 6:51:14 AM PDT
by PowderMonkey
(WILL WORK FOR AMMO)

Ah yes, the homophobic masses in Jesusland aren’t enlightened enough to appreciate this show!Never mind that 98% of the country is heterosexual. I think a lot of people voice “support” for gay marriage, but are inwardly repulsed at the reality of gay sex.

14
posted on 07/29/2013 6:56:09 AM PDT
by Freestate316
(Know what you believe and why you believe it.)

” its something he wants to push down the throats of people, and preferably brainwash them with.”

Yep, tv is no longer entertainment, it's one-way access into peoples homes and minds and the minds of children. People that are not intelligent enough to see through it (and many aren't) swallow it whole, which is a result of what Rush has been calling “the dumbing down of America”.

Yep, tv is no longer entertainment, it's one-way access into peoples homes and minds and the minds of children. People that are not intelligent enough to see through it (and many aren't) swallow it whole, which is a result of what Rush has been calling the dumbing down of America.

"Ryan Murphy, in his shows, likes to push an idea in every episode, something he's grappling with and thinks people should be thinking about and is more issue-oriented in that way. And maybe that didn't help it.

In the words of Sam Goldwyn, if you want to send a message, use Western Union (or whatever its contemporary is today). Is there any sit-com on TV today without a gay character or characters?

26
posted on 07/29/2013 7:06:23 AM PDT
by Rummyfan
(Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)

This is promoted as normal behavior. People peacefully protesting outside of an abortion clinic or at a TEA Party rally are considered to be racist, homophobic, intolerant, narrow minded, dangerous terrorists that warrant IRS harassment.

32
posted on 07/29/2013 7:39:46 AM PDT
by Freestate316
(Know what you believe and why you believe it.)

I cut my cable off two years ago. I save $80 a month (about $20 of that went to freaking TAXES) and I haven’t missed it. Now it’s Cook’s Country, Antiques Roadshow, and my Kindle loaded with historical novels. My IQ has improved (and so has my cooking.)

it’s way less than that if the truth be known - most gays & lesbians have no desire to be in a homosexual version of traditional normal heterosexual monogamous life. These shows are meant to propagandize and portray a lie.

Its amazing how tone deaf these people are. They are going on and on trying to justify why the show failed bringing up that "Will and Grace" was successful and it was about "GAY" people.

Gee dumbasses could it be Will and Grace didn't try and cram down America's throats that being gay was "The NEW NORMAL"?

But hey let's just set that thought aside for a moment and consider Maybe the New Normal sucked because the actors weren't as good and the writing sucked.

But instead they go on and on about it couldn't be the gay thing.

Then again maybe it could you idiots. EVERY DAMN SHOW HAS SOME GAYBERT PRANCING AROUND. Its like Hollyweird is trying to make us think there is a third sex just a numerous as the two normal sexes we are all familiar with.

I remember that when I was a kid. Petticoat Junction and Green Acres were axed as well. The network execs decided that wholesome shows with country bumpkins was passe to a generation of newly socially and sexually liberated millions.

46
posted on 07/29/2013 8:18:30 AM PDT
by Freestate316
(Know what you believe and why you believe it.)

It’s been gradual indoctrination. Even as kids we knew that Paul Lynde, Charles Nelson Reilly, Liberace, Jim Nabors and Jm J Bullock were flaming. Robert Reed caught us by surprise. The difference was that they weren’t portrayed as homosexual, flaunting their “partners” and pushing a political and social agenda. As for gays in the military, I wonder how Lieutenant Hanley and Sergeant Saunders would have handled it.

48
posted on 07/29/2013 8:26:56 AM PDT
by Freestate316
(Know what you believe and why you believe it.)

On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life (Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife) Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith, And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "The Wages of Sin is Death."

50
posted on 07/29/2013 8:33:22 AM PDT
by DuncanWaring
(The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)

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